Poor humidity in your Poconos, PA, home can be stressful, uncomfortable and unhealthy. It can contribute to respiratory illnesses, skin problems, cracked lips and even cracked floors. Read on to find out why you need to maintain the right level of humidity in your Poconos, PA, home, and how to get started.
The Wrong Humidity Level Undermines Your Home’s Air Quality
Poor humidity is one of the biggest causes of poor air quality. The quality of the air in your home directly affects your health and comfort.
If the humidity level in your home drops too much and stays too low long enough, you could find yourself experiencing some health issues. These include dry sinuses, bloody noses and worsening bronchitis or other pre-existing conditions.
Similarly, overly high humidity encourages harmful microorganisms such as bacteria and dust mites to thrive in your home. With such organisms developing, allergy symptoms may increase.
Fungi and dust mites are some of the allergens that develop when humidity levels stay high. Therefore, you’ll want to keep your humidity levels low enough that these types of organisms won’t thrive.
Proper Humidity Regulates Your Body Temperature
The level of moisture in the air around you affects your body’s temperature a lot. Your body can find it difficult to cool down when there’s too much humidity. Likewise, it can be difficult for your body to get warm when the humidity is too low.
When your body heats up, it releases sweat to cool it off. The sweat then evaporates on your skin, which is what helps cool the body down. If the humidity level is too high or low, though, it inhibits this process.
Poor Humidity Can Destroy Your Home
When it’s cold outside, you’re more likely to experience low humidity because your fireplace and heating system rob the air of moisture. Wood furniture suffers under such conditions because it requires a certain level of moisture to maintain its form.
More precisely, wood tends to crack or split along its grain if the humidity is not within the correct range. This can lead to problems in a home that contains hardwood flooring, expensive hardwood musical instruments or wooden furniture.
How to Maintain a Proper Humidity Range
It’s very important to maintain the right level of humidity in your home if you want to protect your family and the house itself. First, you need to understand “relative humidity.”
Relative humidity is the ratio used to measure the level of moisture in the air. Most people feel comfortable when the relative humidity level is between 30% and 50%. 45-50% is the level you should aim for.
Invest in a Humidifier or Dehumidifier
If you feel like your moisture levels are too low, you may need to install a high-quality humidifier. This appliance will put more moisture in your air.
This is important because cold air tends to be dry in winter. If you’re not sure about the exact levels in your home, you should request an appointment with a professional to help you understand your moisture levels and guide you accordingly.
Sometimes, a house can develop high humidity levels even during the cold season. This often happens when the house is still new. As the concrete or masonry cures, it may release a lot of moisture, which builds up in the house.
A dehumidifier can help with this. Dehumidifiers, as their name suggests, remove humidity from the air.
Many factors cause the humidity in your home to fluctuate. The good news is that you don’t have to be too savvy about HVAC mechanics to maintain the right humidity levels in your home. Contact our team at Sullivan Oil & Propane today to have your moisture levels and indoor air quality checked and implement long-term solutions to keep your humidity levels within the correct range.
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